Yuya Yamamoto

Yuya Yamamoto 山本 優弥
Born	Yutaka Wataru Yamamoto July 15, 1984 Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan
Native name	山本 優弥
Nationality	Japanese
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	70 kg (150 lb; 11 st)
Division	Welterweight
Style	Karate
Team	Seishun Juku
Rank	black belt in Shin Karate
Years active	2001–present
Kickboxing record
Total	60
Wins	34
By knockout	13
Losses	25
By knockout	7
Draws	1
Other information
University	Hiroshima Preféctural Matsunaga High School
last updated on: May 12, 2013

Yuya Yamamoto (born July 15, 1984) is a Japanese kickboxer competing in K-1 at middleweight (-70 kg). He is the former Japanese national champion of kickboxing sanctioned by All Japan Kickboxing Federation at welterweight.

Biography

Amateur era

Yuya Yamamoto was born in Takasu, Onomichi in Hiroshima, Japan on July 15, 1984. He started learning karate at Kushukaikan during his high school life. Although he was only 16 years old, he won the All Japan Shin Karate championships at lightweight.^[1] After winning the championship, he moved to Tokyo and joined Booch Beat, a kickboxing team, to be a kickboxer. On September 7, 2001, he debuted as a professional kickboxer for All Japan Kickboxing Federation(AJKF). At this time, he was only 17 years old.

Professional kickboxing

In 2004, Yamamoto challenged Yamauchi's welterweight championship on January 4, but he was defeated by the unanimous decision at 5R. On November 19, he challenged Yamauchi's title again, but he failed to win the title because the match resulted as a draw.　In January 2006, he moved to Seishunjuku from Booch Beat.

On February 6, 2005, he fought against Yoshihiro Sato. He was beaten completely as he was knocked down 6 times during the bout of 5R. Sato knocked down Yamamoto twice at 1R, twice at 2R, once at 3R, once at 4R. Yamamoto was going to be retired before fighting against Sato. For this reason, although he was offered only 10 days before, he accepted this bout as a replacement.^[2] Although he intended to retire, this bout was evaluated by K-1; thereafter, he decided to continue his career.

In 2007, he participated the tournament for the vacant welterweight championship of AJKF. He won the tournament on May 11, 2007, and 23rd champion of AJKF at welterweight. On December 28, 2007, AJKF announced that Yamamoto is going to be awarded "2007 Outstanding Performance Award" as he won the title and he beat Keiji Ozaki in October. He was awarded on January 12 in 2008.^[3]

On December 5, 2008, he fought against Christophe Pruvost from Switzerland for his AJKF Welterweight title, but he was beaten by TKO by cut and he lost his title.

Yamamoto lost to Xu Yan by TKO at Krush.16 in Tokyo, Japan on February 17, 2012.^[4]

Yamamoto competed in the Krush Grand Prix 2013 ~67kg First Class Tournament~ on January 14, 2012 in Tokyo.^[5][6] In the quarter-finals, he went up against Hitoshi Tsukagoshi, a quick former 63 kg fighter. Yamamoto's power was too much for Tsukagoshi, however, and he knocked him out with a brutal left hook in round three. He then lost a split decision after taking Abdellah Ezbiri into an extension round in the semis.^[7]

He lost to TaCa via unanimous decision after an extension round at Krush.28 in Tokyo, Japan on May 12, 2013.^[8]

Titles

• Amateur
  • The 12th All Japan Shin Karate Championship K-2 Tournament Lightweight winner (May 5, 2001)
• Professional
  • 2009 K-1 World MAX Japan Tournament Runner Up (February 23, 2009)
  • All Japan Kickboxing Federation Welterweight champion (Defense: 0)
  • 2011 K-1 World MAX Japan Tournament Runner Up (September 25, 2011)

Awards

• 2007 Outstanding Performance Award (All Japan Kickboxing Federation, January 12, 2008)

Entrance music

• "BIRTH" by Yutaka Ozaki

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record

34 Wins (13 (T)KO's, 19 decisions), 25 Losses, 1 Draw Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time 2014-11-03 Loss Kerrith Bhella K-1 World GP 2014 -65kg Championship Tournament[9] Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Decision 3 3:00 2014-04-15 Loss Makihira Keita Krush.40 Tokyo, Japan Extension round decision (unanimous) 4 3:00 2013-08-25 Loss Onder Ural Krush.31 Hiroshima, Japan Split decision 3 3:00 2013-05-12 Loss TaCa Krush.28 Tokyo, Japan Extension round decision (unanimous) 4 3:00 2013-01-14 Loss Abdellah Ezbiri Krush Grand Prix 2013 ~67 kg Tournament~, Semi Finals Tokyo, Japan Extension round decision (split) 4 3:00 2013-01-14 Win Hitoshi Tsukagoshi Krush Grand Prix 2013 ~67 kg Tournament~, Quarter Finals Tokyo, Japan KO (left hook) 3 1:59 2012-02-17 Loss Xu Yan Krush.16 Tokyo, Japan TKO (referee stoppage) 2 1:39 2011-09-25 Loss Yūji Nashiro K-1 World MAX 2011 –70 kg Japan Tournament Final Osaka, Japan KO (punches) 1 3:00 For K-1 World MAX 2011 Japan Tournament Title. 2011-09-25 Win Kenta K-1 World MAX 2011 –70 kg Japan Tournament Final Osaka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2011-09-25 Win Shintaro Matsukura K-1 World MAX 2011 –70 kg Japan Tournament Final Osaka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2011-05-29 Loss Shintaro Matsukura Krush -70 kg The First Championship Tournament 1st Round[10] Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 Fails to qualify for Krush tournament semi finals -70 kg. 2011-04-30 Win Akihiro Gono Krush The First Championship Tournament ~Triple Final Round~ Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2011-01-09 Win Masakazu Watanabe Krush First Generation Kings Tournament Round 2, Super Fight Tokyo, Japan KO (Punches) 2 2:16 2010-07-05 Loss Yoshihiro Sato K-1 World MAX 2010 Final 16 - Part 1 Tokyo, Japan Decision (Majority) 3 3:00 Fails to qualify for K-1 World MAX 2010 Final. 2010-04-29 Win Scott Shaffer Krush 6 Tokyo, Japan KO (High kick) 3 1:59 2010-03-27 Loss Hinata Watanabe K-1 World MAX 2010 –70 kg Japan Tournament Saitama, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2009-10-26 Loss Giorgio Petrosyan K-1 World MAX 2009 Final Yokohama, Japan KO (Right hook) 1 2:09 2009-07-13 Win Gago Drago K-1 World MAX 2009 Final 8 Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2009-04-21 Win Chi Bin Lim K-1 World MAX 2009 Final 16 Fukuoka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2009-02-23 Loss Taishin Kohiruimaki K-1 World MAX 2009 Japan Tournament Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 For K-1 World MAX 2009 Japan Tournament Title. 2009-02-23 Win Yuichiro Nagashima K-1 World MAX 2009 Japan Tournament Tokyo, Japan TKO (Doctor stoppage/cut) 3 0:59 2009-02-23 Win Tatsuji K-1 World MAX 2009 Japan Tournament Tokyo, Japan Ext. R Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00 2008-12-05 Loss Christophe Pruvost All Japan Kickboxing Federation Tokyo, Japan TKO (Doctor stop./cut) 4 2:59 Loses his AJKF Welterweight championship title. 2008-04-09 Win Marfio Canoletti K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 16 Hiroshima, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2008-02-02 Loss Andy Ologun K-1 World MAX 2008 Japan Tournament Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2007-05-11 Win Mitsumasa Horikawa AJKF "REARM" AJKF Welterweight tournament final Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan Decision(2-0) 5 3:00 Wins vacant title of AJKF Welterweight championship. 2006-09-04 Loss Ferrid Kheder K-1 World MAX 2006 Champions Challenge Yokohama, Japan Decision (Majority) 3 3:00 2006-02-04 Loss Tatsuji K-1 World MAX 2006 Japan Tournament Saitama, Japan TKO (Injury, dislocated shoulder) 2 2:47 2005-10-12 Win Ash-Ra K-1 World MAX 2005 Champions Challenge Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2005-06-14 Loss Kazuki Hamasaki K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima Hiroshima, Japan TKO 2 2:20 2005-05-04 Win Yasuhiro Kido K-1 World MAX 2005 World Tournament Open Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2005-02-06 Loss Yoshihiro Sato All Japan Kickboxing 2005: Moving Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 2004-09-23 Win Hiroyuki Takaya All Japan Kickboxing 2004: Danger Zone Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2004-01-04 Loss Yutaro Yamauchi All Japan Kickboxing 2004: Wilderness Tokyo, Japan Decision (Majority) 5 3:00 Yamauchi retained his AJKF Welterweight itle. 2003-11-23 Win Masaaki Kato All Japan Kickboxing 2003: Scramble Tokyo, Japan KO (Strikes) 1 0:58 Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

See also

• List of K-1 events
• List of male kickboxers

References

1. 第12回　全日本新空手道選手権大会 Archived June 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. (Japanese)
2. Tokyo Sports,　the 8th page, 2009-04-24
3. 小林聡GM、2008年は新エース出現を期待 (Japanese)
4. Krush.16 Results: Kubo and Sato Claim ISKA Titles, Xu Yan KOs Yuya Yamamoto
5. Koya Urabe vs Karim Bennoui Added to Krush.25; Yamamoto, Matsukura Join 67kg Tournament Field
6. Krush Announces 67kg Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups
7. Krush 67kg Tournament Results: Kubo Wins Tournament in Disputed Decision, Alamos Upsets Takiya
8. Krush.28 Results: Takeru Captures Inaugural 58kg Title
9. K-1 Japan 65kgs [sic] Tournament Results
10. "Krush公式ブログ (Japanese language - results of Krush event)". www.wakoweb.com. Retrieved 2011-05-30.

External links

• Yuya Yamamoto Official Blog
• K-1 Official Profile